Adrianne Pieczonka sings Wagner and Strauss

Adrianne Pieczonka: Wagner and Strauss arias. Münchner Rundfunkorchester conducted by Ulf Schirmer. Released on Orfeo 2006. Further information here.

Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka´s first solo disc contains arias of Richard Strauss and Wagner as well as the Wesendonck-lieder, released in 2006.

Though she has been around for 20 years (and is Kammersängerin in Vienna with more than 100 performances at the Vienna State Opera), Adrianne Pieczonka´s career sky-rocketed after her performances as Sieglinde in Bayreuth 2006-7, making Sieglinde something of a signature. In truth, Sieglinde may be slightly too heavy for her, and her expression perhaps too restrained, but both in Bayreuth and on this disc (represented with Der Männer Sippe) she is a wonderful Sieglinde. Adrianne Pieczonka´s beautiful floating expressivity also serves Elsa (Lohengrin) extremely well and her rendition of the Wesendonck-lieder on this disc is unusually moving.

However, Adrianne Pieczonka´s true fach is that of a Richard Strauss soprano, reprenseted on this disc by Ariadne auf Naxos (see video below), Arabella and the Capriccio final scene.
Her soaring voice and expressivity in this repertoire is hard to improve on and I must admit to finding her unparallelled today in this repertoire. Hopefully her wonderful Arabella from Vienna and Ariadne from Munich will be released on DVD. The Marschallin is not represented on this disc, perhaps since it is already available on DVD from Salzburg.

Early 2009 her second solo disc of 16 Puccini arias is scheduled for release.

Adrianne Pieczonka - Ariadne auf Naxos: Es gibt ein reich (audio):

Posted by hillevifan on YouTube

Overall impression (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

5

Robert Carsen´s superb 2004 Salzburg Rosenkavalier on DVD

Rosenkavalier. Salzburg Festival 2004. Production: Robert Carsen. Cast: Adrianne Pieczonka (Marschallin), Angelika Kirchschlager (Octavian), Miah Persson (Sophie), Franz Hawlata (Ochs). Conductor: Semyon Bychkov with the Vienna Philharmonics. More details here.

Given the choice between nostalgia or decadence, the traditional Rosenkavalier productions on DVD (see below) chose nostalgia. Robert Carsen chose to depict a decadent society in decay in his 2004 Salzburg Festival production.

First act takes place in the decadently luxurious chamber of the Marschallin and the enourmous stage of the Grosses Festpielhaus is utilized to the maximum as several things take place simultaneously in parallel chambers.

We are in Vienna immediately preceding the outbreak of World War One. Octavian seems only one in a (long) string of lovers of the Marschallin. Ochs is a military man arriving with his regiment of soldiers.
Act two takes place in a large dining room with a dinner table almost spanning the 100 meter width of the stage complete with war paintings on the back wall. Sophie is wiser, not quite the naïve innocent girl reciving Octavian, when he arrives on a live horse to present the silver rose. Ultimately Ochs walks almost straight into Octavian´s sword while his regiment of soldiers harass the household of Sophie´s father in a very entertaining scene.

The third act takes place in a brothel covered in red lights, complete with full frontal nudity and transvestites, definitely more funny than sexy. Octavian is clearly enjoying himself with the girls and make out with Sophie on the bed with the Marschallin walking by. This relationship won´t last. And in the end, we just see the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand setting into motion the chain of events leading to the First World War.

The production was equally loved and hated by audiences in 2004. Clearly my favorite Rosenkavalier production on DVD, not the least due to the simply outstanding cast.

Adrianne Pieczonka´s noble Marschallin shows why Strauss is her true fach and in my opnion she is the best Marschallin on DVD (as well as the best alive) - the nostalgia, the resignation - she seems to capture every facet of this part with her varied acting combined with her superb Straussian voice.
I have simply not heard a finer Octavian since Christa Ludwig than Angelika Kirchschlager - her even, rounded and simply beautiful voice combined with a rather masculine edge to her acting makes her unsurpassed as Octavian.
And Miah Persson´s beautiful Sophie completes this first-rate trio with her clear soprano and entirely convincing acting. Franz Hawlata is more noble than the traditionally ridiculous Ochs, and while he may not excel with his low notes, he more than fulfills Robert Carsen´s demands.

Do the Vienna Philharmonics really need a conductor to play this score, which they´ve probably played more than any other orchestra? Needless to say they played sumptuously capturing the exact right rhythms in the walzes for Semyon Bychkov.

Strongly recommended. However, those preferring a traditional Rosenkavalier may want to look at one of the two Carlos Kleiber-conducted Otto Schenk productions (I´d personally prefer the one from the Vienna State Opera) or the Georg Solti-conducted production from Covent Garden.

Adrianne Pieczonka and Angelika Kirchschlager in Act 1:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Adrianne Pieczonka: 5
Angelika Kirchschlager: 5
Miah Persson: 5
Franz Hawlata: 4-5

Semyon Bychov:4-5

Robert Carsen´s production: 5

Overall impression: 5

Celebrated Ariadne with Pieczonka and Damrau in Munich

Adrianne Pieczonka (above) and Diana Damrau (below) in Robert Carsen´s new Ariadne in Munich

This years Munich Opera Festival featured the premiere of Robert Carsen´s new production of Ariadne Auf Naxos last week, a spectacular success judged by responses by audiences and critics alike.

The cast featured Adrianne Pieczonka as Ariadne and Diana Damrau as Zerbinetta. Kent Nagano conducted. Burkhard Fritz was Bacchus, Daniela Sindram the Composer.

Both lead ladies, Pieczonka and Damrau received stunning reviews. Also much praise for Carsen´s stylish production and for Kent Nagano, who to many´s suprise turned out a fine Straussian.

This production will play at the Deutsche Oper Berlin next February featuring Michaela Kaune/Violeta Urmana as Ariadne and Jane Archibald as Zerbinetta.
Reports in English from Financial Times, Boulezian and in German from Die Welt, Merkur, Abendzeitung (rather critical) and Kurier among others.

A promotional video with highlights from the production here:

Bayreuth 2007: Walküre

Walküre. Bayreuth Festival 2007. Production: Tankred Dorst. Cast: Endrik Wottrich (Siegmund), Adrianne Pieczonka (Sieglinde), Albert Döhmen (Wotan), Linda Watson (Brünnhilde), Michelle Breedt (Fricka), Kwangchul Youn (Hunding). Conductor: Christian Thielemann.

Tankred Dorsts "the Gods live in a parallel, invisible world"-Nibelungen Ring theme has now reached the second evening with Walküre at the 2007 Bayreuth Festival.

We are now in a formerly grand estate. A street pole smashed through the wall. Nothung, needless to say is stuck inside. Following the triangular drama of Star Trek look-a-likes Hunding, Siegmund and Sieglinde, Wotan is confronted by Fricka in front of a line of old dusty statues. Oblivious to these happenings, modern-day workers go about with their work. We then descend into the Walküre Rock, here a Cave lined by uneven rocks, with an open entrance at the back during which the various characters appear.

It did not seem like Tankred Dorst brought any other ideas than the parallel mythological/modern-day world into play. And the complete absence of interpersonal drama, which make up a large part of the opera was notable and vastly responsible for this rather inadequate Walküre-staging.

One singer truly stood out: Adrianne Pieczonka as Sieglinde. A beautifullyl warm and dusky tone combined with fine acting as well. As Siegmund, Endrik Wottrich disappointed, seemingly lacking warmth in both voice and acting. Kwangchoul Youn sings Hunding´s notes, but conveys none of the menacing aspects of the character.

Albert Döhmens voice is still in place as Wotan, though his characterization is rather monodimensial. The complete lackof chemistry with Linda Watsons equally monodimensial Brünnhilde is, unsurprisingly, not helpful. Especially when she is short on the charisma account as well, though she does hit the notes, but with an offensive vibrato. Michelle Breedts Fricka is as shrill here as in Rheingold. On a positive note, the collective team of Valkyries were excellent with some very fine voices among them.

Again Christian Thielemann and the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra were the heroes of the evening. Grandiose. Insightful. Beautiful. And contrary to the cast: Not heard better anywhere else.

See also: Rheingold, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung reviews from the same cycle.

Arabella: Adrianne Pieczonka, Thomas Hampson and Genia Kühmeier in Vienna

Adrianne Pieczonka and Thomas Hampson in Arabella.

Arabella. Vienna State Opera. March 2007. Production: Sven-Erik Bechtolf. Cast: Adrianne Pieczonka (Arabella), Thomas Hampson (Mandryka), Genia Kühmeier (Zdenka), Michael Schade (Matteo). Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst.

Sven-Erik Bechtolf´s postmodern Arabella takes place in METROPOL - a modern hotel cum bar, dominated by brown colours, flashing neonlights and mirrors. That apart, the story was told relatively straightforward and the production received rave reviws, not least due to the musical aspects at the 2006 premiere at the Vienna State Opera.

Adrianne Pieczonka once again showed why Richard Strauss is her true fach. Though interpretatively closer to the Marschallin (which she portrayed on the superb 2003 Salzburg Rosenkavalier DVD) than the young girl Arabella, her singing was simply superb, with wonderfully exquisite and nuanced characterization.

In both presence and manners, Thomas Hampson is close to the ideal Mandryka: The awkward, shy country-guy, not really knowing how to behave around what he perceives to be aristocracy (in fact Arabella´s family are on the fringes of upper-class Viennese society).
Luckily (for him) Thomas Hampson is so well-known at the Vienna State Opera, that his vocal indisposition (though not announced) was clear to anyone, as he was virtually incapable of hitting the notes towards the end. Once again: Whose interest exactly is the management serving by not announcing these things? I don´t even see the point in (trying to) fool the first-time operagoing tourists occupying the standing room spaces..

Genia Kühmeier was simply wonderful as Zdenka, with a shining lyrical soprano unmatched on stage today. She received the largest applause of the evening. Accompanied by a Michael Schade in top-form as Matteo.

Franz Welser-Möst conducted and the orchestra played as brilliant as ever.